What are puffy nipples?
Every man has nipples on his chest. A man's nipple is generally small, like a nubbin. The area surrounding the nipple is the areola. The areola differs in colour and texture from the surrounding skin. It is not raised and feels flat, in the same line as the skin around it.
Sometimes, even if a man has soft nipples, the entire chest area feels raised. This condition of a man's nipples is puffy nipples. It may be swollen, engorged or inflamed.
How to identify puffy nipples?
Puffy nipples are usually raised and enlarged in size. The area around the nipples may look swollen. You may feel that your chest is a little bulky.
Puffy nipples Causes
Some of the known causes of inflamed nipples or puffy nipples in men are:
Hormonal imbalance
Men have more testosterone than estrogen in their bodies. When estrogen levels rise in the male body, the mammary glands may swell up. The swelling causes puffy nipples in men.
Excess body fat
Obesity causes the tissues to enlarge in your body. There is an extra layer of fat on most parts of your body. This excess fat layer may also accumulate around the breast tissue. It leads to puffy nipples in men. Obesity can also cause a hormonal imbalance.
Exercises
Exercises like running or jogging cause repeated friction—this friction between the fabric and your skin results in chafing around the nipple area. The chafing can lead to a jogger's nipple that can then turn into puffy nipples.
Steroid use
Using anabolic steroids or drugs for bodybuilding can lead to a hormonal imbalance. Long-term steroid usage can cause an improper accumulation of body fat.
How to get rid of puffy nipples
Read on for puffy nipple treatments:
Exercise for puffy nipples
Regular exercises of the pectoral muscles and chest muscles can reduce puffy nipples. The activities that are best suited to strengthen these core regions are:
- Forward Dips
- Regular push-ups
- Suspended push-ups
- Incline bench presses
- Barbell bench presses
- Overhead presses
- Bent-forward cable crossovers
- Bodyweight flyes
- Low cable flyes
Try to stick to fewer sets and more repetitions. It's best to work out up to three times a week and incorporate sets of 20-30 minute chest exercises. Tone your body by complementing these exercises with proper cardio workouts.
Diet for puffy nipples
If your puffy nipples are due to a hormonal imbalance and excess body fat, focus on changing your diet. To reduce body fat, one can try a low-fat diet. Here are some easy tips to follow a healthy diet:
- Cut out fried food and resist cravings
- Cut out processed food
- Decrease intake of dairy products such as cheese and butter
- Increase fruit intake
- Increase intake of green leafy vegetables
- Increase intake of fibre-rich foods such as nuts and seeds
- Avoid foods that increase estrogen: soy products, lima beans, alfalfa
- Add foods that increase testosterone: garlic, ginger, onion, olive oil
Ayurvedic Solutions For Puffy Nipples
Opt for herbal/Ayurvedic solutions that help increase your testosterone levels. This can help reduce puffy male nipples.
Fenugreek for puffy nipples
A green leafy herb that one can consume as part of routine preparations. Add it as a garnish, or mix it into your flours and veggies. It contains furostanolic saponins that help increase testosterone levels in men.
Ginger for puffy nipples
Known for its spicy taste, use ginger as a paste or in slivers. Mix it in with your favourite fruit or vegetable juice for that extra zing.
Also read: How to get rid of Gynecomastia
Ashwagandha for puffy nipples
A unique Indian herb with nerve and hormone-stimulating properties. One can add Ashwagandha to their meals for added benefits.
Use these herbal supplements with absolute caution. Watch out for adverse effects. One recommends that you take these supplements under proper guidance and supervision.
Surgery for puffy nipples
Your underlying condition of puffy nipples may need surgery as a last resort. Surgery is an alternative when all other modes of treatment fail to provide relief. Different types of surgeries are advised based on the intensity of the condition.
Liposuction for puffy nipples
Liposuction removes excess fat from the breast area. This simple technique does not damage the gland tissue.
Tissue excision for puffy nipples
Tissue excision excises the excess breast tissue. As a result, the enlarged area of puffy nipples is reduced.
Mastectomy for puffy nipples
Complete removal of the entire breast gland tissue. This surgery is only opted for in extreme cases.
Now you know what to do if you ever wonder why your nipples are bigger than usual. First, check for transient causes such as exercise and chafing. If that is not the cause, then check for body fat and other hormonal imbalances. Most men with big nipples can reduce their size with these non-surgical options. Opt for a healthy diet, exercise and herbal supplements.
